Storage

Using Double-Take
Software to Migrate,
Consolidate, and
Protect Heterogeneous
Storage
By Ward Wolfram
Michael Hickey
Nicholas Schoonover

In heterogeneous storage environments, a lack of

interoperability can be a critical barrier to effective data
management. Double-Take software helps overcome
this challenge by providing a cost-effective, simplified
way to migrate, consolidate, and protect data in these
environments, including those using multiple types of
Dell servers and storage.

dors, which can introduce several challenges

types of Dell servers and storage and in other

for IT organizations. For example, administrators typi-

heterogeneous environments, helping seamlessly

cally must become experts on each type of storage,

interconnect hardware that might be otherwise

understanding the management intricacies and capa-

incompatible.

nterprise data centers often include multiple

flexible tools to carry out common migration, con-

types of storage hardware from different ven-

solidation, and data protection tasks across multiple

bilities of each model. Because each storage vendor

has typically implemented its own technologies and

Simple storage migration

methods for handling data, different arrays are often

Migrating data between storage systems using

incompatible with one another, resulting in isolated

Double-Take software is typically a simple

storage islands across the data center. And finally,

processadministrators mount the new storage to

migrating, consolidating, and protecting data on dif-

a Double-Take softwareenabled host server and

ferent storage arrays is often difficult, time-consuming,

create a replication set between the two systems.

Dell EqualLogic storage

and expensive, and may even require costly consult-

Figure 1 shows an example environment in which

Dell PowerVault storage

ing services to carry out.

administrators have configured a Microsoft Exchange

Related Categories:
Data consolidation and
management

Disaster recovery

The key to seamlessly migrating or consolidating

server with a Dell PowerVault 220 direct attach stor-

Double-Take Software

data across dissimilar storage hardware is to use a

age (DAS) system, and are now migrating their data

Replication

storage-independent replication engine, one that

to a PowerVault MD3000i Internet SCSI (iSCSI) stor-

Storage

administrators can place on a host server and use

age area network (SAN).

Storage software

with any type of storage that the server can mount.

Host-based replication is well suited for migration

Visit DELL.COM/PowerSolutions

The comprehensive Double-Take suite provides a

because of its ability to bridge dissimilar storage

for the complete category index.

simplified, cost-effective solution for storage-

technologies as well as its ease of use and cost-

independent data migration in enterprise data cen-

effectiveness. In the example environment shown in

ters, one that can help administrators easily migrate,

Figure 1, Double-Take software can replicate the real-

consolidate, and protect data across different types

time data changes of the live Exchange server from the

of storage hardware while including cost-effective

PowerVault 220 to the PowerVault MD3000i iSCSI SAN.

high-availability and disaster recovery capabilities.

After the data has been fully synchronized, administra-

Administrators can take advantage of these powerful,

tors can un-mount the Exchange server from the

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DELL POWER SOLUTIONS | August 2008

Reprinted from Dell Power Solutions, August 2008. Copyright 2008 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.

PowerVault 220 and mount the replicated

stores from the PowerVault MD3000i SAN.
Microsoft Exchange server with Double-Take software

The robust, simplified tools provided by

Double-Take software are designed to support migration of any Microsoft Windows
OSbased or Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Production
Dell PowerVault 220 DAS system

Data migration

Dell PowerVault MD3000i

iSCSI SAN

OSbased application data.

Server and storage

migration

Figure 1. Migration between two Dell storage arrays using Double-Take software

Migrating data to a new storage array

often provides a good opportunity to
migrate or upgrade to the latest Dell
PowerEdge server platforms as well
(see Figure 2). Double-Take software
includes tools such as Full-Server Failover
(FFO) for server migrations that remove

Dell PowerEdge 2650

with Microsoft Exchange
and Double-Take software

Server migration

Windows hardware driver dependencies,

Dell PowerEdge R900

with Microsoft Exchange
and Double-Take software

enabling administrators to migrate

entire systemsincluding the system
identifier (SID), registry, system files, and
applicationsthrough an easy-to-use

Production
Dell/EMC CX300
Fibre Channel SAN

Data migration

Dell EqualLogic PS Series

iSCSI SAN

graphical interface while those systems

are still running (see Figure 3). Once the
synchronization is complete, administra-

Figure 2. Migration between Dell servers and storage using Double-Take software

tors can shift the new server and storage

platforms into production. This solution
helps IT organizations optimize time and
resources without the complex, timeconsuming process of taking servers
offline to perform a backup, then restoring, reconfiguring, and testing the new
serversultimately enabling comprehensive server migrations without the downtime and risks associated with traditional
approaches to migration.
In addition, the FFO technology in
Double-Take software enables uninterrupted physical-to-physical, physical-tovirtual, and virtual-to-physical migration
of production servers, providing IT organizations with a high degree of flexibility
in their environments and avoiding limiting them to a single storage vendor or
storage array.
Double-Take software includes a virtual
appliance that allows IT administrators to
perform large-scale physical-to-virtual
migrations using the Double-Take Virtual
Recovery Assistant. The Virtual Recovery
Assistant helps reduce the complex, often

Figure 3. Double-Take graphical interface designed for ease of use

Reprinted from Dell Power Solutions, August 2008. Copyright 2008 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.

DELL.COM/PowerSolutions

83

Storage

manual steps required to ready a new vir-

Primary data center

tualized environment for migration. It

does the work of provisioning the target
virtual machine for the userhelping eliminate the need to set up the new virtual
machine and install an OS, patches, or
applications. Because Double-Take software can replicate changes to data in real
time, end users can continue to access

Dell PowerEdge
M1000e

Remote office

Acquired company
Server from other vendor

Dell PowerEdge 2650

production applications right up until the

Dell EqualLogic PS Series

iSCSI SAN

workload is migrated.
Dell PowerVault MD3000i
iSCSI SAN

Server and storage

consolidation
IT organizations often struggle to manage

Storage array from other vendor

Figure 4. Consolidation to a single site using Double-Take software

islands of data in remote or branch offices

and departmental work groups, as well

by providing granular data recovery for

Ward Wolfram is a storage solutions archi-

as data created by mergers and acquisi-

Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server,

tect at the Dell Executive Briefing Center

tions that may create vulnerabilities.

and other Microsoft Windowsbased

working on enterprise storage solutions

Consolidating applications and data to a

applicationsenabling administrators to

strategies and architecture. He has a B.A. in

single site can help ease management of

quickly recover from common problems

Mathematics and Physical Education from

this type of data, but can be difficult to

such as viruses, data corruption, deleted

Concordia University, Nebraska, and a

carry out in heterogeneous environments.

files, and human error. Coupled with

Master of Computer Science degree from

Because Double-Take software is designed

Double-Take software, TimeData helps

the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

to work over long-distance wide area net-

extend enterprise recovery capabilities to

work (WAN) topologies, including the

include operational recovery in addition

Michael Hickey is the director of strategic

Internet and IP networks, it can help

to disaster recovery.

alliances and manages the Dell Sales

administrators consolidate data to a cen-

and Marketing Alliance for Double-Take

Simplified migration,
consolidation, and data
protection

Software. He has a B.A. in Economics from

Server and storage data

protection

Double-Take software is designed to pro-

Nicholas Schoonover is a senior solutions

vide a flexible, cost-effective way to

architect at Double-Take Software and

Because some application servers and

migrate, consolidate, and protect data in

works with enterprise customers and strate-

storage systems need to be physically

heterogeneous environments while

gic alliances to design data protection solu-

close to end users at remote sites, IT orga-

avoiding interruptions in service when

tions. He attended the Ohio State University

nizations often still need a way to reliably

administrators perform these key tasks.

and majored in Computer Science.

protect those systems. Double-Take

IT organizations can help further reduce

software enables them to continue pro-

total cost of ownership by combining

tecting applications and data in real time

Double-Take software with virtualization

with minimal bandwidth requirements,

software from VMware, Microsoft, or

using patented transaction-aware data

Citrix, including the VMware ESX,

integrity algorithms to help eliminate

VMware ESXi, and Microsoft Hyper-V

concerns about database corruption or

platforms. Implementing Double-Take

reduced performance for production

software in environments based on Dell

applications.

servers and storage helps provide a

tral location regardless of differences in

hardware platforms (see Figure 4).

Double-Take software can also pro-

simplified, cost-effective way to manage

vide continuous data protection in hetero-

data for large global IT organizations as

geneous storage environments.

The

well as the IT departments of interna-

Double-Take TimeData product helps

tional emerging-market organizations

extend server and storage data protection

and small and medium businesses.

84

DELL POWER SOLUTIONS | August 2008

the University of Rhode Island.

QUICK LINKS
Double-Take Software:
www.doubletake.com
Dell storage:
DELL.COM/Storage

Reprinted from Dell Power Solutions, August 2008. Copyright 2008 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.